U.S. patent application number 13/271177 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-09 for folding utility knife.
Invention is credited to Qiu Jian Ping.
Application Number | 20120030949 13/271177 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43218585 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120030949 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ping; Qiu Jian |
February 9, 2012 |
FOLDING UTILITY KNIFE
Abstract
A utility knife having a handle and a blade holder which is
pivotally mounted on the handle for movement from an unfolded
position to a folded position. The handle has a space adapted to
receive the blade holder when the blade holder is in its folded
position. The blade holder includes a main wall and guard wall
mounted together and adapted to receive a blade therebetween and a
locking lever pivotally mounted on the blade holder to lock the
blade in place.
Inventors: |
Ping; Qiu Jian; (Hangzhou,
CN) |
Family ID: |
43218585 |
Appl. No.: |
13/271177 |
Filed: |
October 11, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12803466 |
Aug 6, 2010 |
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13271177 |
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11986725 |
Nov 26, 2007 |
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12803466 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
30/156 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B26B 1/042 20130101;
B26B 5/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
30/156 |
International
Class: |
B26B 1/04 20060101
B26B001/04; B26B 5/00 20060101 B26B005/00 |
Claims
1. A utility knife comprising a handle and a blade holder, said
blade holder being pivotally mounted on said handle for movement
from an unfolded position to a folded position, said blade holder
comprising a main wall and guard wall mounted together, said walls
having means to receive a blade therebetween, blade locking means
to hold said blade between said walls, said blade locking means
being pivotally moveable on said blade holder in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the said walls.
2. A utility knife as set forth in claim 1 wherein said guard wall
and said main wall are mounted together and have a slit
therebetween adapted to receive a blade.
3. A utility knife as set forth in claim 2 wherein said blade
locking means comprise a blade lock lever mounted for pivotal
movement relative to said main and guard walls from an open
position to a closed position.
4. A utility knife as set forth in claim 3 wherein said blade lock
lever comprises an a blade finger extending therefrom and having a
position adapted to enter a notch in a blade to hold the blade in
place when the blade lock arm is in said closed position.
5. A utility knife as set forth in claim 4 wherein said lock blade
lever is adapted to move in a space in said blade holder.
6. A utility knife as set forth in claim 5 wherein said space
comprises opposed thin panels attached to said walls and extending
above the top edge of the blade holder.
7. A utility knife as set forth in claim 6 wherein said blade
holder comprises a rear end and a front end, said front end
comprising said guard wall and said main wall, said rear end being
pivotally mounted to said handle and having upper and bottom
edges.
8. A utility knife as set forth in claim 7 wherein said blade lock
lever has a finger tab extending therefrom.
9. A utility knife as set forth in claim 8 wherein a spring is
provided to bias said blade lock lever to its closed position.
10. A utility knife as set forth in claim 9 wherein said handle
comprises a pair of spaced handle halves adopted to form a space
therebetween for receiving at least a portion of said blade holder
when in its folded position and wherein said handle has a pivoted
lock lever assembly mounted in the said space in the handle and
wherein said lock lever assembly has a front arm and a rear arm and
a lock finger extending from its front arm.
11. A utility knife as set forth in claim 10 wherein said rear end
of the blade holder has a groove therein adapted to receive said
lock finger when the blade holder is in its unfolded position.
12. A utility knife as set forth in claim 11 wherein spring means
are mounted beneath the rear arm of the lock lever assembly to bias
the rear arm upwardly and to bias the front arm downwardly to
permit the lock finger to enter the groove, whereby depressing the
rear arm against the tension of the spring means will cause the
front arm to rise and the lock finger to move out of the groove
permitting the blade holder to pivot relative to the handle from an
unfolded position to a folded position into the space in the
handle.
13. A utility knife as set forth in claim 12, wherein the handle
has a notch in its top edge and wherein the rear arm protrudes
above the notch whereby depression of the rear arm at the notch
permits the front end to be raised upwardly and cause the lock
finger to move out of the lock groove.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/803,466, filed Aug. 6, 2010, and entitled
"FOLDING UTILITY KNIFE," which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/986,725, filed Nov. 26, 2007, and entitled
"FOLDING UTILITY KNIFE," each of which is incorporated herein in
its entirety by reference.
[0002] The subject matter of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/800,684, filed May 7, 2007, and entitled "FOLDING UTILITY
KNIFE," is incorporated into the present application in its
entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present invention relates to a utility knife and more
particularly to a folding utility knife in which the blade may be
folded into the handle when the knife is not in use.
[0004] Folding utility knives have been in use for a number of
years. In such knives the blades are mounted on a blade holder
which is foldable within a handle when the knife is not in use.
However, some of these folding utility knives have many movable
parts which makes them difficult to use and expensive to
manufacture. In addition, in some of these folding utility knives
replacement of the blade is a complicated operation which may
require the use of special tools.
Objects
[0005] The present invention overcomes these problems and has for
one of its objects the provision of an improved folding utility
knife in which the blade holder may be easily folded into the
handle.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is the provision of
an improved folding utility knife in which the blade is held
securely on the blade holder.
[0007] Another object of the present invention is the provision of
an improved folding utility knife in which improved means are
provided for replacing the blade on the blade holder.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is the provision of
an improved folding utility knife which is simple to use and
inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.
[0009] Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious
upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to
described, or will be indicated in the appended claims and various
advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the
art upon employment of the invention in practice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for
purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the
accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,
wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a utility knife made in
accordance with the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof.
[0013] FIG. 3A is a partial sectional side view showing the
position of the parts when the folding utility knife is in its
unfolded position.
[0014] FIG. 3B is a partial sectional side view similar to FIG. 3A
showing the position of the parts when the folding utility knife in
a partially folded position.
[0015] FIG. 3C is a partial sectional side view similar to FIG. 3A
showing the position of the part when the folding utility knife in
its fully folded position.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the blade holder of the
present invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4
showing the blade locking means in its blade locking position.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.
3.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the
blade locking means in its blade releasing position.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG.
7.
[0021] FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the blade holder of the
present invention.
[0022] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the position of the
parts with the blade releasing mechanism in its blade locking
position.
[0023] FIG. 11 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 10 showing the
position of the parts with the releasing mechanism in its blade
releasing function.
[0024] FIG. 12 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 10 showing the
blade being replaced.
[0025] FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the position
of the part when the blade is in its locked position.
[0026] FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the position
of the parts when the blade is in its unlocked position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Referring to the drawings, the folding utility knife 1 of
the present invention comprises a handle 2 and a blade holder
3.
[0028] The handle 2 comprises a pair of handle halves 2A and 2B
each having an outer side wall 11, an upper edge 7 and a lower edge
9. A rear spacer 4 is provided between the handle halves 2A and 2B
to maintain the handle halves 2A and 2B separated and to create a
space 5 between handle halves 2A and 2B. The spacer 4 and the
handle halves 2A and 2B may be held together by fasteners 6 which
pass through the spacer 4 and the handle halves 2A and 2B in order
to hold them together. The upper edge 7 of the handle halves 2A and
2B (i.e. the entire handle 2) has a finger notch 8 and the lower
edge 9 of the handle halves 2A and 2B (i.e. the entire handle 2)
may be undulated in order to permit the user's fingers to grip the
handle 2. If desired, a clip 10 may be mounted on a side wall 11 of
the handle halves 2A and/or 2B to permit the utility knife 1 to be
fastened onto the user's belt or some other convenient place.
[0029] Interposed between the handle halves at 2.A and 2B and along
the upper edges 7 of the handle halves 2A and 2B there is provided
a lock lever assembly 15 (FIGS. 3A to 3C) which is pivotally
mounted between the handle halves 2A and 2B on a pivot pin 16 which
extends through the two handle halves 2A and 2B and the lock lever
assembly 15. The lock lever assembly 15 is preferably a two arm
lever having front and rear arms 17 and 18, respectively. The front
arm 17 is provided with a downwardly extending lock finger 19.
Below the rear arm 18 of the lock lever assembly 15 there is
provided a spring 14 which normally bears against the bottom edge
of the rear arm 18 to force the rear arm 18 upwardly and the front
arm 17 downwardly around the pivot 16 so that rear arm 18 protrudes
above the notch 8. It will be seen that when the rear aim 18 of the
lock lever assembly 15 is pressed down manually through the notch 8
against the action of spring 14, the front arm 17 will be
raised.
[0030] The blade holder 3 of the present invention comprises a rear
end 31 and a front end 32. The rear end 31 of the blade holder 3
has rear edge 31A, bottom edge 31B and upper edge 31C. The blade
holder 3 is pivotally mounted in the space 5 between handle halves
2A and 2B on a pivot pin 30. The upper edge 31C of the rear end 31
has a lock groove 33 into which the downwardly extending lock
finger 19 of the lock assembly 15 is adapted to enter when the
blade holder 3 is in its extended or unfolded position.
[0031] The blade holder 3 comprises a thin wall 34 and a thin guard
wall 35 which are held together by any well known means such as by
welding them together or by fastening them together with suitable
fasteners 36. If desired they may be made of one piece and integral
with each other. The main wall 34 is thinner than the upper edge
31C to form an upper hollow control area 50 and a lower slit 52
therebelow which is adapted to receive and hold a blade B between
walls 34 and 35. The blade B preferably hag a lower cutting edge 37
and spaced notches 38 in its upper edge 39. The blade B is adapted
to slide in and out of a slit 52 formed between the walls 34 and
35.
[0032] A blade lock lever arm 45 is pivotally mounted within the
groove 50 on a pivot pin 46 pivotally mounted on upper edge 31C for
movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the side walls 34
and 35. A pair of opposed panels 51 are mounted to enclose the
upper area 50 on opposed sides of the upper edge 31A. The blade
lock lever 45 has a front arm 47 and a rear arm 48 with a
downwardly extending blade finger 49 depending from its front arm
47 (FIGS. 13 and 14). The blade finger 49 has re-entrant tip 43
adopted to enter a groove 38 on the blade B.
[0033] When the blade lock lever 45, is pivoted around pivot 46 in
one direction the tip 43 of its blade finger 49 will enter into one
of the upper notches 38 on blade B in order to lock the blade B in
place. When it is desired to remove and replace the blade B the
blade lock arm 45 is pivoted in the opposite direction to move the
tip 43 of the blade finger 49 out of the blade notch 38 to release
the blade B and permit it to be slid out of the slit 52. The rear
arm 48 of the blade lock lever 45 has a plate 60 depending
therefrom. A spring 61 is mounted on one side of the plate 60 the
opposite side has a finger button 42 which extends through one of
the plates 31. Normally the spring 61 biases the lever on 45 so
that the front arm 47 is located toward blade B with the tip 43 of
the lock finger 49 entered into the notch 38 in the blade B. When
the finger button 42 is pushed inwardly against the bias of the
spring 61, the rear arm 48 of the lock lever 45 is in a pushed-in
position thereby moving the front arm 47 away from blade B and the
finger tip 43 out of the notch 38 in the blade. It will be
understood that rather than a single blade finger 49, as shown, it
is within the purview of the present invention to have a plurality
of blade fingers 47 to enter the notches 38 in the blade.
[0034] In operation, the utility knife 1 is placed in its operative
unfolded position with the blade holder 3 unfolded and ready to be
used. The blade B is held in the slit 52 by the top 43 of the blade
finger 47 of the blade lock arm 45 (which is in its normal
position) extending into a notch 38 in the top edge 39 of the blade
B. The lock finger 19 of the front arm 17 of the lock lever
assembly 15 is in its lower position (because of the pressure of
spring 14 on rear arm 18) and is positioned in the groove 33 in the
blade holder 3 in order to hold the blade holder 3 in its unfolded
position. The rear arm 18 of the lock lever assembly 15 is in its
raised position and protrudes above the finger notch 8 at the top
edge 7 of the handle 2.
[0035] When it is desired to place the utility knife 1 into its
folded inoperative position, the rear arm 18 of the lock lever
assembly 15 is pressed down manually through the notch 8 against
the bias of the spring 14. This causes the front arm 17 of the lock
lever assembly 15 to be raised thereby moving the lock finger 19
out of the groove 33 to release the blade holder 3 and permit it to
pivot downwardly around the pivot pin 30 (FIG. 4). This may be
accomplished by pushing down on the finger knob 41. The blade
holder 3 is then pivoted down completely into the space 5 between
the handle halves 2A and 2B (FIG. 5). When pressure on rear arm 18
is released, the spring 14 moves the rear arm 18 back to its
original raised position by the tension of the spring 14. This
causes the lock finger 19 to bear against the button edge 31B of
the blade holder 3 thereby holding the blade holder 3 in its folded
position.
[0036] When it is desired to use the blade B the reverse procedure
is followed. The blade holder 3 is pivoted in the opposite
direction. It may be desirable for the rear arm 18 of the lock
lever assembly 5 to again be depressed manually to assist in
unfolding the blade holder 3. The blade holder 3 is continued to be
rotated counter-clockwise (as seen in FIG. 4) until the lock forger
19 of the front arm 17 enters into the groove 33 in the rear end 31
of the blade holder 3 in order to hold the blade holder 3 in its
extended position.
[0037] When it is desired to replace a blade B the blade holder 3
is placed in its unfolded position (as shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C) and
the blade lock arm 45 is moved in one direction around pivot 46 by
means of finger tab button 42 against the bias of spring 61 thereby
moving the tip 43 of the blade finger 49 out of the notch 38 in the
upper blade edge 39 of the blade B to release the blade B. The
blade B can then be moved out of the blade holder 3 through slit 52
and a new blade B can be placed therein through the slit 52. When
this occurs the push button 42 is released so that the blade lock
arm 45 moves the top 43 of the blade finger 49 into the notch 38 in
the blade B to lock the blade B in place.
[0038] As many and varied modifications of the subject matter of
this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art
from the detailed description given hereinabove, it will be
understood that the present invention is limited only as provided
in the claims appended hereto.
* * * * *